Hawaii Islanders

Defunct MiLB infobox
name =Hawaii Islanders
firstseason = 1961
lastseason = 1987
allyears =
city =Honolulu, Hawaii
logo =HawaiiIslanders.pngcaplogo =blank.gif
lastclasslevel =Triple-A (1961-1987)
pastclasslevel =
lastleague =Pacific Coast League (1961-1987)
conference =
division =
pastleague =
lastmajorleague =Chicago White Sox (1987)
pastmajorleague =Pittsburgh Pirates (1983-1986)
*San Diego Padres (1971-1982)
*California Angels (1969-1970)
*Chicago White Sox (1968)
*Washington Senators (1965-1967)
*Los Angeles Angels (1962-1964)
*Kansas City Athletics (1961)
lastnickname =Hawaii Islanders (1961-1987)
pastnames =
lastballpark =Les Murakami Stadium (1986-1987)
pastparks =Aloha Stadium (1975-1985)
*Honolulu Stadium (1961-1974)
classchamps =
leaguechamps =1975, 1976
conferencechamps=
divisionchamps =1970, 1975, 1976, 1977 The Hawaii Islanders were a AAA minor league baseball team, based in Honolulu, Hawaii, that played in the Pacific Coast League from 1961 through 1987. The Islanders were originally an affiliate of the Kansas City Athletics. They played their home games at Honolulu Stadium, Honolulu's Aloha Stadium and later at Les Murakami Stadium. After being one of the most successful minor league teams, the Islanders faltered and ultimately moved to the mainland as the Colorado Springs Sky Sox in 1988.

History

The Islanders were originally an amateur team, but on December 17, 1960, the Sacramento Solons, a longtime PCL stalwart, moved to Honolulu. Minor league baseball was then in free fall, as sparse attendance, rampant major league TV broadcasts, expansion and franchise shifts at the major league level, and retrenchment in farm system support caused the contraction of many leagues, and the utter collapse of others. By the end of the 1960s, however, Hawaii was the model franchise for the minors. In 1970, the Islanders, then an affiliate of the California Angels, won 98 games and drew over 400,000 fans to lead the PCL and the minors as a whole.

Due to being 2500 miles from their nearest opponent, the PCL had a unique schedule for the Islanders. Initially, teams made one four and one seven game visit to the Islands with the Islanders doing the same. Later, as the league expanded, the Islanders played 8 game series against each team in order to cut down on travel costs.

The travel costs also applied to the radio coverage of the Islanders games-in the early years of the team in the 1960s, the Islanders radio announcer would use the old method of "re-creating" the road games in the Honolulu radio studio, which was a throwback to the 1930s. In those days, the team's radio play by play man was Harry Kalas, who had just gotten out of the service. When Harry later moved on to the Mainland (with the Philadelphia Phillies), he was replaced as Islanders play by play man by a youngster named Al Michaels.

But being located thousands of miles from the mainland PCL ultimately proved too much of a challenge. The Islanders achieved success and stability as a longtime affiliate of the Angels and the San Diego Padres, but when those teams found tie-ups closer to home, Hawaii shifted from organization to organization. It was also affiliated over the years with the Kansas City A's, Washington Senators, Chicago White Sox and Pittsburgh Pirates.

Its last club, in 1987, finished last in its division and last overall in attendance (a little over 116,000) in the PCL.

Prior the 1988 season, the team moved to Colorado Springs, Colorado, and became the Colorado Springs Sky Sox, who they've been known as since.

Notable Alumni

*Hank Allen
*Bobby Balcena
*Barry Bonds
*Carmen Fanzone
*Tony Gwynn
*Dick Lines
*Winston Llenas
*Jim McManus
*Diego Segui
*Derek Tatsuno
*Jay Ward
*Bobby Valentine

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